The Naked Director
Pinku (the Japanese softcore film sub-genre) has a long and historied part in Japanese cinema. The genre has existed for over forty years and seen many ebbs and flows. One of the directors during the heyday of the movement was the prolific Muranishi Toru. Adpated from a novel about the man, The Naked Director depicts the character, his art, vision and his interactions with the approving and disapproving folk around him.
The year is 1990, and Muranishi is riding high. When his investment banker introduces him to the concept of satellite TV, he finds his next big thing.
To raise money for a satellite channel, Muranishi starts cranking out videos and pushing boundaries, but he ends up neglecting Kaoru, his biggest star.
Sapphire Pictures is rebranded into the more upscale Diamond Visual. A shy woman named Miyuki responds to a casting call and winds up shadowing Kaoru.
Kaoru enthusiastically promotes her upcoming video. Umino finally gives his response regarding the satellite deal. Miyuki is nervous about her debut.
Muranishi gives Miyuki a new name: Mariko Nogi. But Diamond is running out of money, and as the bubble economy bursts, they have to find new revenue.
While the Diamond staff fumes, Muranishi desperately searches for a way to make the next satellite payment and keep the business afloat.
Kaoru is hospitalized. Inspired by industry changes, Wada recruits Toshi, Kawada and Mitamura to make videos for his chain. Muranishi's debt comes due.
Toshi takes matters with the yakuza into his own hands. The other Diamond staff members slowly move on with their lives.
After another month of lackluster encyclopedia sales, Muranishi's job is on the line. But just when he starts making money, his life falls apart.
Muranishi and Toshi move onto selling porn magazines, starting their own bookstore chain in Hokkaido. But their success attracts unwanted attention.
After living on the lam in Tokyo, Muranishi and Toshi are arrested in Sapporo. Once they get out, they reunite with Kawada with a new goal: video.
Furuya tells the Sapphire team that Ikezawa and Takei are working together. Muranishi recruits a Poseidon actress for their next video.
Blacklisted by Ikezawa and squeezed by the regulatory commission, Sapphire nears bankruptcy. After confronting her mother, Megumi seeks out Muranishi.
Muranishi takes his crew to Hawaii for an ambitious make-or-break shoot with Allison, a famous American porn star. Toshi goes to Furuya for help.
Facing a 370-year prison term, Muranishi 100 million yen to make bail. While Toshi and Kawada struggle to raise funds, Kaoru demands to help out.
Back in Japan, the Showa era is ending and Kaoru Kuroki has become a sensation. Sapphire and Poseidon are cranking out videos, but a crackdown looms.
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Language | Japanese |
| Release | 2019-08-08 |
| Producer | Image Field Inc. |